William a



Nov. 27 1923. 1,475,188

-w. A. KEENEY FLOOR OR CEILING PLATE Filed May 14 1925 H6 fie. 2

#7 TOR/YE) Patented Nov. 27, teas.

1,475,138 rarest" carrots.

WILLIAM A. KEENEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FLOOR- OR GEILIIBIG PLATE.

Application filed May 14, 1923, Serial No. 638,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. KEENEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor or Ceiling Plates, of which the following is a specification. t

This invention relates tov a floor or ceiling plate. An article of this character usually nts around a steam or water pipe near the floor or ceiling of a room through which the pipe passes. Among the objects of the invention are the provision of a plate of this character which is quite simple in construction, can be inexpensively made and can be securely held in a closed relation, yet can be readily opened when occasion requires for its removal.

While the invention is capable of wide modification, I have nevertheless shown in the accompanying drawing one of the several forms of embodiment of the invention which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the invention and which will be set forth in detail in the following description. Obviously, I am not restricted to this disclosure. I may depart therefrom in a number of respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the floor or ceiling plate in closed and open relation by full and dotted lines respectively.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the plate in closed condition, a pipe being shown in cross section. V I

Fig. 3 is a section on theline 33 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a pipe and the plate closed on it.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the plate.

Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged of the rear portion of the plate as viewed from below.

Like characters refer to like throughout the several views.

The plate that is shown comprises, as represented,two sections or segments, as 2 and 3, which are in effect duplicates practically of each other, which is an important consideration. As a matter of fact, the sections or segments have along their curved edges flanges, as 4. and 5, from the rear ends of parts which extend inwardly. directed flanges, as V 7' and 8, which fit fiatwise against each other when the plate is closed. As shown, there is in co-relation with the segments or sections 2 and 3, a spring washer, as 9, the upper and lower faces of which are flat and the terminals of which are pointed, as 10 and 11. The body of the spring washer centrally thereof extends through slots or holes, as 12 and 13, between the ends of the rear flanges 7 and 8. These flanges are of soft material and they receive the pointed or pronged ends 10 and 11 of the spring 9, the points in fact penetrating slightly, or biting in the flanges 7 and 8 near the center or axis of motion of the segments 2 and 3.

The flanges 7' and 8 at the front of the plate are inter-locked by means which will now appear and when thus inter-locked are prevented from accidentally opening. To maintain the locked relation, the flanges 7' and 8 are slotted as at 14 and 15. This produces upon the flange 7 the finger 16 which can be passed through the slot 15 of the flange 8 and bent on the opposite face of said flange 8.

To release the platethe latching finger 16 is merely slipped out of engagement with the flange 8 by a relative tipping of the sections or segments 2 and 3 at which point the plate can be easily opened.

Between the front and rear flanges 7 and 8 and 7 and 8 respectively and extending along the inner edges of the sections or segments 2 and 8 are flanges as 20 and 21, which, as shown, are of different heights, as indicated in Fig. 5 and in Fig; 3 also. The portions 22 of said inner flanges 20 and 21 have on their outer edges slots, as 23, which receive the legs or'branches of springs, as 25, of bowed form. The springs 25 have their transverse portions initially extended transversely of the flange portions 22 and the legs of side branches of the springs ex- .tend across the segments 2 and 3. When, therefore, the plate fits on a pipe, as 26, the transverse portions of the springs 25 are bent outwardly so as to impinge against inner curved form of the flanged portion 25, as shown in said Fig. 2.

What I claim is:

l. A floor or ceiling plate comprising segments having at their rear radial flanges, and a spring washer extended through the flanges, having prongs which penetrate the flanges.

2. Ahab-r or ceiling plate comprising similar segments having at their front and their rear ends radial flanges, and a spring Washer extendin th'rough the rear flanges, 5 having prongs to penetrate the flanges, one of the front flanges having a latehmeniher to en age the other front flange.

3. segments, having flanges extending along their inner and their miter edges, the inner floor or ceiling plate comprising flanges being furnished with segmental flanges that have notches lIlllllGlI ends, and bowed springs, the bodies of which are against the inner. sides of the segmental flanges, the legs of the springs extending thronghthe notches and being in the space betweenthe inner and the outer flanges.

In'testimon'y whereof I afiix my signature.

"WILLIAM A. KEENEY. 

